Trophic homogeneity due to seasonal variation in nitrogen in shallow subtropical lakes.

Lakes play a crucial role in the nitrogen (N) cycle, and eutrophication disrupts the balance of the nitrogen cycle within lakes, including both the N removal process and the N supplement process. However, the mechanisms by which different nutrient levels affect seasonal nitrogen variations in the water columns are not clear, especially for long-term and large- scale studies. In this study, we used 206 independent spatial samples from a total of 108 subtropical shallow lakes from four surveys in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as time-case study data from Lake Taihu and Lake Donghu of up to 23 and 14 years, respectively, to analyze the changes in summer TN compared to spring (delta TN). Delta TN was significantly negatively correlated with initial spring TN concentrations, with similar trends observed in both space and time. Furthermore, the slopes of spring TN vs. delta TN varied little across lakes in both time and space, suggesting a consistent relationship between initial spring TN and summer TN changes. When initial TN or TN: TP ratio was low, N fixation by algae played a significant role in compensating for summer N removal, thus mitigating summer N reductions; when TN was high or TN: TP ratio was high, ammonia stress reduced the compensatory effect of algae and denitrification played a significant role in summer N removal, thus increasing summer N reductions. Our study suggested that no matter what the initial conditions are, lakes tend to evolve towards a common nutrient status through biological regulation.

Selenium suppressed the LPS-induced oxidative stress of bovine endometrial stromal cells through Nrf2 pathway with high cortisol background.

Stress and infection seriously threaten the reproductive performance and health of dairy cows. Various perinatal stresses increase plasma cortisol concentrations in cows, and chronically high cortisol levels may increase the incidence and severity of the uterine diseases. Selenium (Se) enhances antioxidant capacity of cows. The aim of this study was to explore how Se affects the oxidative stress of primary bovine endometrial stromal cells (BESC) with high cortisol background. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured using flow cytometry and assay kits. The changes in nuclear NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway were detected by Western blot, qPCR, and immunofluorescence. The result showed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased (P < 0.01) ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reduced (P <0.01) superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration, provoking BESC oxidative stress. The elevated levels of cortisol resulted in the accumulation (P < 0.05) of ROS and MDA and inhibition (P < 0.05) of SOD in unstimulated BESC, but demonstrated an antioxidative effect in LPS-stimulated cells. Pretreatment with Se reduced (P < 0.01) the levels of ROS and MDA, while increasing (P < 0.05) the antioxidant capacities and the relative abundance of gene transcripts and proteins related to the Nrf2 pathway in BESC. This antioxidant effect was more pronounced in the presence of high cortisol level. Se alleviated the LPS-induced cellular oxidative stress, which is probably achieved through activating Nrf2 pathway. At high cortisol levels, Se supplement has a more significant protective effect on BESC oxidative stress. This study provided evidence for the protective role of Se in bovine endometrial oxidative damage of stressed animals and suggested the potential regulatory mechanism in vitro.

Polydopamine-Based Biomaterials in Orthopedic Therapeutics: Properties, Applications, and Future Perspectives.

Polydopamine is a versatile and modifiable polymer, known for its excellent biocompatibility and adhesiveness. It can also be engineered into a variety of nanoparticles and biomaterials for drug delivery, functional modification, making it an excellent choice to enhance the prevention and treatment of orthopedic diseases. Currently, the application of polydopamine biomaterials in orthopedic disease prevention and treatment is in its early stages, despite some initial achievements. This article aims to review these applications to encourage further development of polydopamine for orthopedic therapeutic needs. We detail the properties of polydopamine and its biomaterial types, highlighting its superior performance in functional modification on nanoparticles and materials. Additionally, we also explore the challenges and future prospects in developing optimal polydopamine biomaterials for clinical use in orthopedic disease prevention and treatment.

In vivo identification of bioactive components of Poria cocos for adjusting mitochondria against metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

Currently, no specific treatment exists to alleviate metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver (MAFLD). Previously, Poria cocos (PC) effectively relieved MAFLD, but its bioactive components are still unknown. The bioactive substances in PC that regulate mitochondria function to alleviate MAFLD were thus determined. The L02 hepatocyte model induced by fat emulsion and the MAFLD rat model induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) were developed to explore the efficacy of PC against MAFLD. The activity of PC-derived components in the liver mitochondria of HFD-fed rats was evaluated using the L02 hepatocyte model. Additionally, the PC-derived components from the liver mitochondria were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Finally, the anti-steatosis ability of PC-derived monomers and monomers groups was evaluated using the adipocyte model. PC maintained the mitochondrial ultrastructure, alleviated mitochondrial oxidative stress, and regulated the energy metabolism and the fatty acid ß oxidation to relieve lipid emulsion-induced cellular steatosis and HFD-induced MAFLD. PC-derived components entering the liver mitochondria inhibited oxidative stress injury and improved the energy metabolism to fight cellular steatosis. Additionally, 15 chemicals were identified in the PC-treated rat liver mitochondria. These identified chemical molecules and molecule groups in the mitochondria prevented cellular steatosis by regulating mitochondrial oxidative stress and energy metabolism. PC restores mitochondrial structure and function, alleviating MAFLD, which is related to oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and fatty acid ß oxidation. The identified 15 components may be the main effective PC components regulating mitochondria function to alleviate MAFLD. Thus, PC may be a promising mitochondrial regulator to prevent MAFLD.

Spying with a pilot's eye: Using eye tracking to investigate pilots' attention allocation and workload during helicopter autorotative gliding.

Flight safety in helicopters is a critical aspect of overall aircraft operational safety management, particularly during engine failures requiring autorotative glide, which makes it extremely challenging for the pilot to land the helicopter successfully. In this study, we evaluated the workload and attention allocation of helicopter pilots under such circumstances. In the experiment, a helicopter flight simulator was used to simulate level flight followed by autorotative glide, with the two phases divided into time segments for data collection. First, the data were visualized using heat maps and saccade sequence diagrams, while changes in eye movement metrics (such as peak value and standard deviation) were statistically analyzed. Finally, the criteria through the inter-criteria correlation (CRITIC) method was used to calculate the weight coefficient for each area of interest. This evaluation system was further applied to analyze and compare the changes in eye-movement data and attention to areas of interest during the two phases. The results revealed a shorter fixation duration, but a greater fixation number during the autorotative glide phase. Further, the mean pupil diameter changed over a larger range than during level flight (in level flight, the mean was 5.229 mm, while the standard deviation was 0.059 mm; in autorotative glide the corresponding values were 5.326 mm and 0.126 mm, respectively). For the tachometer, the weight coefficient matched the color of the heat map (2.7 % and colorless during level flight, but 23.8 % and red during autorotative glide), while those for the airspeed indicator and forward view differed significantly between the two phases. This discrepancy stemmed from the fact that during autorotative glide, the pilots prioritized monitoring aircraft rotation speed and attitude, with a particular focus on the forward view, rotor speed, and airspeed, resulting in a more concentrated attention distribution compared to that achieved during level flight. These results confirmed a significant increase in pilot workload during autorotative glide landing, while a shift was observed from low-frequency long gaze time during level flight to high-frequency short gaze time during autorotative glide. Furthermore, the pilots allocated 81 % of their attention to the tachometer, airspeed indicator, and forward views. Adopting this strategy can improve pilots' landing success and provide flight students with valuable training advice to prevent landing failures when helicopters lose power.

Maintaining healthy lifestyle through fitness app use: A parallel mediation model from a nationwide survey.

Objective: Adolescents face various health challenges due to academic pressures and sedentary lifestyles. Establishing healthy habits during this critical period is essential for long-term well-being. With the widespread use of fitness apps, understanding their impact on adolescent health behaviors and the underlying mechanisms is crucial. Guided by social support theory and social comparison theory, this study examined the influence of WeRun, a fitness app within WeChat, on adolescents' adoption of healthy lifestyles. It investigated the correlation between WeRun usage and healthy behaviors, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving this relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted across 31 provinces and metropolitans in China, utilizing a random cluster sampling approach targeting high school and freshman students aged 15-24 (N = 1312). A parallel mediation model was employed to test the hypotheses. Results: The analysis showed that WeRun use positively predicted both social support and social comparison. Meanwhile, both social support and social comparison were positively associated with healthy lifestyles. Additionally, WeRun use could not directly predict healthy lifestyles. However, WeRun use indirectly predicted healthy lifestyles via social support and social comparison. Conclusions: The study's findings revealed the pivotal roles of social support and social comparison as mediating variables in the relationship between adolescents' WeRun usage and adoption of healthy lifestyles. The results contributed to the current comprehension of the mechanisms linking app utilization to health-promoting behaviors. Furthermore, it provided valuable insights for promoting adolescent health and informed improved design strategies for fitness apps.

Arginine on immune function and post-operative obstructions in colorectal cancer patients: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of arginine on immune function and postoperative complications in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search to identify eligible RCTs in various databases, such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, VIP Medicine Information System (VIP), and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM). This study aimed to examine IgA, IgG, and IgM levels as well as CD4+ and CD8+ counts as well as the CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Anastomotic leaking, length of stay (LOS), and surgical site infection (SSI) were included as secondary outcomes. Stata (StataCorp, version 14.0) was utilized for data analysis. To ensure the results were reliable, we used meta-regression, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analysis. RESULTS: A total of 24 publications (including 1883 patients) out of 681 that were retrieved fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The arginine group showed notable improvements in humoral immunity, with gains in IgA (SMD=0.45, 95% CI: 0.30-0.60), IgG (SMD=0.80, 95% CI: 0.64-0.96), and IgM (SMD=0.66, 95% CI: 0.39-0.93). With regards to cellular immunity, the arginine group exhibited a substantial increase in the CD4+ T cell count (SMD = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.67-1.38) compared to the control group. However, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased significantly (SMD=1.37, 95% CI: 0.88-1.86) in the same arginine group, indicating a change in the balance between these two cell types. Additionally, the CD8+ T cell count showed a notable decrease (SMD=-0.70, 95% CI: -1.09 to -0.32) in the arginine group when compared to the control group. Anastomotic leakage was also considerably lower in the arginine group (SMD=-0.05, 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.02), the rate of SSIs was lower (RR = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.05-0), and the length of time patients spent in the hospital was shorter (SMD=-0.15, 95% CI: -0.38 to -0.08). CONCLUSIONS: After radiation treatment for CRC, arginine improves immune function and decreases the risk of infection problems. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration with PROSPERO for this meta-analysis is number CRD42024520509.

Investigating the Impact of IL-6 and CXCL8 on Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting the elderly, characterized by severe cognitive impairment and memory loss. Emerging evidence suggests that neuroinflammation plays a significant role in AD pathogenesis, with cytokines like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8) contributing to the disease progression. METHODS: We utilized GEO datasets to identify IL-6 and CXCL8 as pivotal inflammatory markers in AD. In vitro experiments were conducted using SK-N-BE(2)-M17 and THP-1 cell lines treated with IL-6 and CXCL8 to model AD. Additionally, in vivo tests on Amyloid Precursor Protein/Presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) AD mouse models were performed to assess the impact of these cytokines on cognitive functions and brain pathology. RESULTS: The results indicated a significant decrease in cell viability, increased apoptosis, and elevated inflammatory factor secretion following IL-6 and CXCL8 treatment in vitro. In vivo, AD mouse models treated with these cytokines exhibited exacerbated emotional distress, decreased social interaction, impaired cognitive functions, and increased amyloid protein deposition in neural tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the detrimental effects of IL-6 and CXCL8 on neuronal health and cognitive functions in AD. These findings suggest that targeting these cytokines could offer potential therapeutic interventions for improving patient outcomes in Alzheimer's disease.

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Alcohol Marketing Exposure, Alcohol Use, and Purchases Among University Students: Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The relationships between alcohol marketing exposure, alcohol use, and purchase have been widely studied. However, prospective studies examining the causal relationships in real-world settings using mobile health tools are limited. OBJECTIVE: We used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine both the within-person- and between-person-level effects of alcohol marketing exposure on any alcohol use, amount of alcohol use, any alcohol purchase, and frequency of alcohol purchase among university students. METHODS: From January to June 2020, we conducted a prospective cohort study via EMA among university students in Hong Kong who reported current drinking. Over 14 consecutive days, each participant completed 5 fixed-interval, signal-contingent EMAs daily via a smartphone app. Each EMA asked about the number and types of alcohol marketing exposures, the amount and types of alcohol used, and whether any alcohol was purchased, all within the past 3 hours. We used 2-part models, including multilevel logistic regressions and multilevel gamma regressions, to examine if the number of alcohol marketing exposure was associated with subsequent alcohol use and alcohol purchase. RESULTS: A total of 49 students participated, with 33% (16/49) being male. The mean age was 22.6 (SD 2.6) years. They completed 2360 EMAs (completion rate: 2360/3430, 68.8%). Participants reported exposure to alcohol marketing in 5.9% (140/2360), alcohol use in 6.1% (145/2360), and alcohol purchase in 2.4% (56/2360) of all the EMAs. At the between-person level, exposure to more alcohol marketing predicted a higher likelihood of alcohol use (adjusted odd ratio [AOR]=3.51, 95% CI 1.29-9.54) and a higher likelihood of alcohol purchase (AOR=4.59, 95% CI 1.46-14.49) the following day. Exposure to more alcohol marketing did not increase the amount of alcohol use or frequency of alcohol purchases the following day in participants who used or purchased alcohol. At the within-person level, exposure to more alcohol marketing was not associated with a higher likelihood of alcohol use, amount of alcohol use, higher likelihood of alcohol purchase, or frequency of alcohol purchases the following day (all Ps>.05). Each additional exposure to alcohol marketing within 1 week predicted an increase of 0.85 alcoholic drinks consumed in the following week (adjusted B=0.85, 95% CI 0.09-1.61). On days of reporting alcohol use, the 3 measures for alcohol marketing receptivity were not associated with more alcohol use or purchase (all Ps>.05). CONCLUSIONS: By using EMA, we provided the first evidence for the effect of alcohol marketing exposure on initiating alcohol use and purchase in current-drinking university students. Our findings provide evidence of the regulation of alcohol marketing for the reduction of alcohol use and purchase among young adults.

The study on 4D culture system of squamous cell carcinoma of tongue.

Traditional cell culture does not accurately simulate the cell microenvironment and demonstrate the specificity of individual cell growth. In this study, we created a 4D cell culture model. It is a precision instrument consisting of an electromagnet, a force transducer, and a cantilever bracket. A petri dish is placed above the magnet, gel beads encapsulated with magnetic nanoparticles and tongue cancer cells are placed in the petri dish. In this model, a magnetic force is generated on the magnetic nanoparticles in the culture medium to drive gel movement when the magnet is energized, and the gel exerts an external force on the cells. It can mimic the microenvironment inside the tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell CAL-27 when the tongue is moving. Electron microscopy and rheological analysis experiments were performed on hydrogels to characterize the alginate. Calcein-AM/PI staining was conducted to verify the biosafety of the hydrogel culture system. Four experimental groups were set up in this study. On this basis, we confirmed that proliferation of tongue squamous cell CAL-27 significantly increased after 5 days compared to cells cultured without mechanical stimulation by MTT. The cell diameter of different groups was measured on captured photographs, and it was concluded that the cell diameter in the dynamic culture environment was larger than that of the hydrogel culture alone in the same period. Furthermore, the cell morphology of tongue squamous cell carcinoma was better. In flow cytometry experiments, there were fewer cells in the G0/G1 phase while the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase was increased following mechanical stimulation. The changes in RNA levels between groups after 21 days of culture were detected using RT-PCR. This device, mimicking the microenvironment of tongue cancer cells in vivo, can enable better visualization of the cell growth in vivo. Therefore, this study provides a reliable basis for subsequent tongue biopsy, research on the pathogenesis of tongue cancer, and drug treatment. .

Discovery and Validation of Methylation Signatures in Circulating Cell-Free DNA for the Detection of Colorectal Cancer.

This study was conducted with the primary objective of assessing the performance of cfDNA methylation in the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). Five tumor tissue, 20 peripheral blood leucocyte, and 169 cfDNA samples were collected for whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) analysis. Bioinformatic analysis was conducted to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and their functional characteristics. Quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) was used to validate the methylation levels of DMRs in the tissues and leucocytes. cfDNA samples from CRC patients and healthy controls were used to evaluate the performance of the DMR analysis. WGBS analysis revealed a decrease in DNA methylation levels in the CpG context in CRC tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. A total of 132 DMRs in cfDNA were identified as potential markers for diagnosing CRC. In a cohort of 95 CRC patients and 74 healthy controls, a combination of the three DMRs (DAB1, PPP2R5C, and FAM19A5) yielded an AUC of 0.763, achieving 64.21% sensitivity and 78.38% specificity in discriminating CRC patients from healthy controls. This study provides insights into DNA methylation patterns in CRC and identifies a set of DMRs in cfDNA with potential diagnostic value for CRC. These DMRs hold promise as biomarkers for CRC detection, offering promise for non-invasive CRC diagnosis. Further research is warranted to validate these findings in larger cohorts.

The Method and Experiment of Detecting the Strength of Structural Components Utilizing the Distributed Strain of Sensing Optical Fibers Demodulated by OFDR.

Defects occurring during the welding process of metal structural components directly affect their overall strength, which is crucial to the load-bearing capacity and durability of the components. This signifies the importance of accurate measurement and assessment of weld strength. However, traditional non-destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic and non-contact camera inspection have certain technical limitations. In response to these issues, this paper analyzes the detection principle of weld strength, revealing that weld defects reduce the effective area of the structural bearing section and cause stress concentration around them. Through repeated experimental data analysis of samples, strain distribution data along the one-dimensional direction caused by defects such as slag inclusion and porosity were obtained. Experimental results show that this method can identify defect types in welds, including slag inclusion, porosity, and unevenness, and accurately measure the location and size of defects with a precision of 0.64 mm, achieving qualitative analysis of weld defects. Additionally, by deploying distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) at different vertical distances along the weld direction, the propagation law of stress induced by different types of weld defects on samples was thoroughly analyzed. This further validates the advantages of this method in weld strength detection, including high spatial resolution, high sensitivity, and non-destructive measurement.

Immunogenic and diagnostic potential of recombinant apical membrane antigen-1 from Plasmodium malariae.

The apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) is a crucial target for malaria management and prevention strategies. While the immunogenicity of AMA-1 has been extensively studied for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, there is a notable scarcity of information for Plasmodium malariae. In this study, recombinant PmAMA-1 was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its integrity was confirmed via western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence assays. Immunization of BALB/c mice with rPmAMA-1 emulsified in Freund's adjuvant resulted in significantly elevated specific IgG antibodies, predominantly IgG1. The immune response exhibited Th1, Th2, and Th17 phenotypes, with a notable Th1 bias. Antisera from immunized mice effectively recognized native PmAMA-1 on P. malariae. These results suggest that PmAMA-1 is a promising target for both vaccine development and diagnostic applications for P. malariae infections, offering dual preventive and diagnostic benefits in malaria control.

Genome-wide analysis of Citrus medica ABC transporters reveals the regulation of fruit development by CmABCB19 and CmABCC10.

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are vital for plant growth and development as they facilitate the transport of essential molecules. Despite the family's significance, limited information exists about its functional distinctions in Citrus medica. Our study identified 119 genes encoding ABC transporter proteins in the C. medica genome. Through an evolutionary tree and qPCR analysis, two ABC genes, CmABCB19 and CmABCC10, were implicated in C. medica fruit development, showing upregulation in normal fruits compared to malformed fruits. CmABCB19 was found to localize to the plasma membrane of Nicotiana tabacum, exhibiting indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) efflux activity in the yeast mutant strain yap1. CmABCC10, a tonoplast-localized transporter, exhibited efflux of diosmin, nobiletin, and naringin, with rutin influx in strain ycf1. Transgenic expression of CmABCB19 and CmABCC10 in Arabidopsis thaliana induced alterations in auxin and flavonoid content, impacting silique and seed size. This effect was attributed to the modulation of structural genes in the auxin biosynthesis (YUC5/9, CYP79B2, CYP83B1, SUR1) and flavonoid biosynthesis (4CL2/3, CHS, CHI, FLS1/3) pathways. In summary, the functional characterization of CmABCB19 and CmABCC10 illuminates auxin and flavonoid transport, offering insights into their interplay with biosynthetic pathways and providing a foundation for understanding the transporter's role in fruit development.

Corrigendum to "WCN24-786 PHASE I DOSE ESCALATION STUDY OF SHR6508, A CALCIUM-SENSING RECEPTOR AGONIST, IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS WITH SECONDARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM" [Kidney International Reports Volume 9, Issue 4, Supplement, April 2024, Pages S368-S369].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.02.771.].

Associations of sleep with cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular diseases: An umbrella review of observational and mendelian randomization studies.

Two researchers independently assessed studies published up to February 5, 2023, across PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library, to investigate the associations of sleep traits with cardiometabolic risk factors, as well as with cardiovascular diseases. Fourteen systematic reviews consisting of 23 meta-analyses, and 11 Mendelian randomization (MR) studies were included in this study. Short sleep duration was associated with a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension, stroke, and coronary heart disease (CHD) in observational studies, while a causal role was only demonstrated in obesity, hypertension, and CHD by MR. Similarly, long sleep duration showed connections with a higher risk of obesity, T2D, hypertension, stroke, and CHD in observational studies, none was supported by MR analysis. Both observational and MR studies indicated heightened risks of hypertension, stroke, and CHD in relation to insomnia. Napping was linked to elevated risks of T2D and CHD in observational studies, with MR analysis confirming a causal role in T2D. Additionally, snoring was correlated with increased risks of stroke and CHD in both observational and MR studies. This work consolidates existing evidence on a causal relationship between sleep characteristics and cardiometabolic risk factors, as well as cardiovascular diseases.

Comparative Analysis of the Diagnostic Value of S-Detect Technology in Different Planes Versus the BI-RADS Classification for Breast Lesions.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: S-Detect, a deep learning-based Computer-Aided Detection system, is recognized as an important tool for diagnosing breast lesions using ultrasound imaging. However, it may exhibit inconsistent findings across multiple imaging planes. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of S-Detect in different planes and identify factors contributing to these inconsistencies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 711 patients with 756 breast lesions between January 2019 and January 2022. S-Detect was utilized to assess lesions in radial and anti-radial planes. BI-RADS classifications were employed for comparative analysis. The diagnostic performance was compared within each group, and p-values were computed for intergroup comparisons. Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to identify factors contributing to diagnostic inconsistency in S-Detect across planes. RESULTS: Among 756 breast lesions, 668 (88.4%) exhibited consistent S-Detect outcomes across planes while 88 (11.6%) were inconsistent. In the consistent group, the diagnostic accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) of S-Detect were significantly higher than those of BI-RADS (accuracy: 91.2% vs. 84.9%, p = 0.045; AUC: 0.916 vs. 0.859, p = 0.036). In the inconsistent group, the diagnostic accuracy and AUC of S-Detect in radial and anti-radial planes were lower than those of BI-RADS (accuracy: 47.7% for radial, 52.2% for anti-radial vs. 69.3% for BI-RADS, p = 0.014, p-anti = 0.039; AUC: 0.503 for radial, 0.497 for anti-radial vs. 0.739 for BI-RADS, p = 0.042, p-anti <0.001). Diagnostic inconsistency in S-Detect across planes was significantly associated with lesion size, indistinct or angular margins, and enhancement posterior acoustic features (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: S-Detect has outperformed BI-RADS in diagnostic precision under conditions of inter-planar concordance. However, its diagnostic efficacy is compromised in scenarios of inter-planar discordance. Under these circumstances, the results of S-Detect should be carefully referenced.

Anterior percutaneous full-endoscopic transcorporeal decompression for cervical disc herniation: a finite element analysis and long-term follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term consequences on the cervical spine after Anterior transcorporeal percutaneous endoscopy cervical discectomy (ATc-PECD) from the biomechanical standpoint. METHODS: A three-dimensional model of the normal cervical spine C2-T1 was established using finite element method. Subsequently, a disc degeneration model and degeneration with surgery model were constructed on the basis of the normal model. The same loading conditions were applied to simulate flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation of the cervical spine. We calculated the cervical range of motion (ROM), intradiscal pressure, and intravertebral body pressure under different motions for observing changes in cervical spine biomechanics after surgery. At the same time, we combined the results of a long-term follow-up of the ATc-PECD, and used imaging methods to measure vertebral and disc height and cervical mobility, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and visual analog scale (VAS) score were used to assess pain relief and neurological functional recovery. RESULTS: The long-term follow-up results revealed that preoperative JOA score, neck VAS score, hand VAS score, IDH, VBH, and ROM for patients were 9.49 ± 2.16, 6.34 ± 1.68, 5.14 ± 1.48, 5.95 ± 0.22 mm, 15.41 ± 1.68 mm, and 52.46 ± 9.36° respectively. It changed to 15.71 ± 1.13 (P < 0.05), 1.02 ± 0.82 (P < 0.05), 0.77 ± 0.76 (P < 0.05), 4.73 ± 0.26 mm (P < 0.05), 13.67 ± 1.48 mm (P < 0.05), and 59.26 ± 6.72° (P < 0.05), respectively, at 6 years postoperatively. Finite element analysis showed that after establishing the cervical spondylosis model, the overall motion range for flexion, extension, lateral bending, and rotation decreased by 3.298°, 0.753°, 3.852°, and 1.131° respectively. Conversely, after establishing the bone tunnel model, the motion range for these actions increased by 0.843°, 0.65°, 0.278°, and 0.488° respectively, consistent with the follow-up results. Moreover, analysis of segmental motion changes revealed that the increased cervical spine mobility was primarily contributed by the surgical model segments. Additionally, the finite element model demonstrated that bone tunneling could lead to increased stress within the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs of the surgical segments. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term follow-up studies have shown that ATc-PECD has good clinical efficacy and that ATc-PECD can be used as a complementary method for CDH treatment. The FEM demonstrated that ATc-PECD can lead to increased internal stresses in the vertebral body and intervertebral discs of the operated segments, which is directly related to cervical spine degeneration after ATc-PECD.

Simultaneously performing Taylor dispersion analysis with fluorimetry, photometry, and contactless conductometry at the same detection window.

Taylor dispersion analysis (TDA) is a rapid and precise method for determining the hydrodynamic radius (RH) of various substances. We present a versatile TDA system with a flow-through sample injection device, two compact 3-in-1 detectors, and a high-voltage power supply. The 3D-printed detectors combine fluorimetry (FD), photometry (AD@255 nm), and contactless conductometry (C4D) in a single head, enabling simultaneous detection at one capillary window. Using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model analyte, we compare TDA with different detection methods. BSA labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) is analyzed in both pulse mode and capillary electrophoresis (CE) TDA. FD and AD detection yield similar RH values, except when FITC binds with small ions in the buffer. In phosphate buffer, C4D underestimates RH values by approximately 18 % due to BSA self-association. In Tris-based buffers, C4D values are 87%-96 % of AD values in pulse mode. With CE-TDA using Tris-CHES buffer, no statistical difference is found across all detections. The system is also applied to CE-TDA of various compounds, particularly charged saccharides. CE-TDA improves the accuracy of TDA results from C4D. We demonstrate the resolution of mixed C4D-TDA signals with assistance from FD and AD signals, successfully resolving gluconate peaks fully covered by another compound. The versatile system with 3-in-1 detection offers a powerful tool for TDA of mixtures and enhances sample throughput.

Multiplex competitive annealing mediated isothermal amplification with high fidelity DNA polymerase (HiFi-CAMP).

Various isothermal amplification methods have been developed for point-of-care testing (POCT) of various infectious diseases. Here, we proposed a novel isothermal amplification method, named as 5'-half complementary primers mediated isothermal amplification (HCPA). Because of the similarity of our method to the previous method competitive annealing mediated isothermal amplification (CAMP) in primer design, we also use the name CAMP for our method. We demonstrated that CAMP is mediated by both a linear isothermal amplification pattern and a loop-mediated isothermal amplification pattern. To improve the specificity and enable multiplex detection, we further developed HiFi-CAMP method that uses a small amount of high-fidelity DNA polymerase to cut HFman probe to release fluorescent signal. The HiFi-CAMP method was demonstrated to have a good specificity and sensitivity, and fast amplification speed in detection of three human respiratory viruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), respiratory syncytial virus A (RSV-A) and influenza A viruses (IAV). When compared with gold standard RT-qPCR assays, the HiFi-CAMP assays showed sensitivities of 90.0 %, 71.4 % and 78.1 %, specificities of 100 %, 100 % and 95.5 %, and consistencies of 93.0 %, 93.3 % and 88.2 % for SARS-CoV-2, RSV-A and IAV, respectively. Furthermore, a duplex HiFi-CAMP assay was also developed to simultaneously detect RSV-A and SARS-CoV-2. The HiFi-CAMP will provide a promising candidate for POCT diagnosis in resource-limited settings.